Dressing for MAPIC

From November 4 to 6, 2026, the Palais des Festivals hosts MAPIC, the international trade show that brings together the biggest names in commercial real estate. Three days of aisles walked, meetings stacked back to back, and stands where presence counts as much as the pitch. Here, the dress code remains resolutely professional, but nothing stops you from bringing character to it. Here is how to build a business wardrobe that goes the distance, from the first badge in the morning to the last drink in the evening.

Business chic, Cannes style

MAPIC is not a creative show where you can afford the eccentricities of Cannes Lions, nor a glamorous event like the Festival. It is a demanding business gathering, where developers, retailers and investors cross paths continuously. The cut must stay clean, the color controlled, but one well-chosen detail (a fine fabric, a signature accessory, a shade that steps outside the grey) is enough to make the difference without ever straying from the seriousness expected.

Daytime: meetings and stands

Between the steps of the Palais, the show's aisles and back-to-back meetings, the day calls for a structured outfit that never slows you down. A well-built blazer over a silk shirt, straight-cut trousers that fall cleanly, shoes you can wear for eight hours straight: the base of a trade-show wardrobe.

• A structured blazer, in wool or tweed depending on the season, in a bold color that makes a presence felt without ever shouting.
• A shirt in silk or another fine fabric, worn alone under the jacket to keep things light all day.
• Straight or slightly tapered trousers, designed to stay crisp after hours of walking between the stands.
• A structured bag, large enough for a tablet and files, elegant enough for an impromptu business dinner.

Evening: galas and networking

MAPIC evenings extend the work day into a more relaxed register, but never leave the business world behind. The same backbone stays in place (blazer, tailored trousers) while the fabrics do the work: a shirt with a silkier sheen, tuxedo trousers, a compact evening bag slipped inside the day bag. The idea is not to change silhouette between noon and midnight, but to adjust the intensity.